Forgot to post this from almost a year ago. It was so great. My daughter and I went for a day trip and it really lived up to its standards. Food was delicious and the rental service was great. I believe coco was the attendants name. She was awesome read more

I had a very disappointing experience. The inspection tag was placed on the boat rather than around the trailer, which resulted in additional inconvenience and expense. When we brought the issue to the attention of staff, Christian was dismissive and laughed at our concerns. He also refused our request to speak with a manager. Instead of helping resolve the situation, we were told to pay to have the boat cleaned. I expected a higher level of professionalism and customer service. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

I visited Folsom Lake State Recreation Area last month with two friends after meeting up in Sacramento. We were looking for something fun to do during the day and figured you can't go wrong with a California State Park. While the park itself didn't disappoint, I'll admit we barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. After paying the entrance fee, we drove around a bit but found there weren't too many roads to explore by car. We stopped at the lake long enough to take a few pictures and for me to use the restroom. The seasonal workers cleaning the bathrooms were friendly, though they were unable to share any fun facts about the lake (I guess I won't hold it against them). Since I don't have a boat, there was no getting out on the water... though one of my friends teased me to go inquire about the young man zipping around on a jet ski. Aside from boating, it seems like there are also camping spots and some hiking trails but we didn't get our shoes dirty on this visit. If I return, I'd love to slow things down and enjoy the park properly by maybe setting up a hammock by the lake, getting out on the water, or even trying a little fishing - as long as someone else handles the bait and any fish I inevitably catch! Overall, a beautiful spot with plenty of potential, I just need a do-over to experience it fully. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - July 2025 - Water seemed low, low, low...! - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

They keep half the park closed most of the year and they funnel you to the main parking, lots and beaches. i love the park, but it's poorly managed. read more

We have been boating on Folsom Lake for more than twenty years and fully support the Golden Mussel Prevention program and the importance of protecting California waterways. Unfortunately, we recently had a very disappointing experience with the inspection process involving what appears to have been a database or manual data-entry error. Our boat has not been in the water since September 2025 and was properly sealed by Folsom Lake staff after its last outing. When we arrived at the lake, we were told the state database showed our boat had recently been at Clear Lake -- which is completely inaccurate. We have never even been to Clear Lake. We spent approximately an hour and a half attempting to resolve the issue, including contacting Clear Lake directly and having Folsom staff speak with the head of Clear Lake's mussel program. We were informed the entry could have resulted from a manual data-entry error and that our boat could not legally have launched there on the date in question because we did not yet have the required current state mussel sticker at the time in question. Despite all of this, there appeared to be no meaningful escalation process available to address disputed records, and we were ultimately required to pay over $100 for another decontamination. Again, we support the purpose of the program. However, if the system relies on manual human input, there needs to be a fair process for handling legitimate discrepancies and staff should be trained to approach these situations professionally and respectfully rather than immediately treating boat owners as though they are being dishonest. I sincerely hope the program reviews its procedures and improves the escalation process so that other compliant boat owners do not experience similar situations. read more

The entrance fee is $12 and you can use it any of the parks for the day. We just went to the one park, but drove by other entrances on our way out. We entered in through Granite Bay. My husband has never spent time in Granite Bay and wanted to check it out. We went to Granite Bay's Main Beach. Wow!!! The water is so low. We had to hike to get out to it. There were a few people at the water's edge with us. The one party brough there whole picnic with them. It made me jealous that we didn't bring any food or drinks. We had snacks in the car and water, but it was no feast like they had. Just a note, there snack shack is closed for the season and will open back in March. I'm not surprised, but I still would have liked to gotten lunch there. After we spent a bit around the lake we went back to our car for a drive around the lake. There are so many alcoves and other views of the lake we saw during our drive. My husband said it reminded him of Tahoe, without the expense and long drive. It's very scenic and we took a great picture of the two of us with the trees in the background. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - View halfway to the water - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

Great spot for hiking locally and has some pretty challenging inclines! We went on a weekend when it was pretty cold, so it wasn't as busy as it would be in summer. A few things to note: great for dogs, but a lot of people had their dogs off leash, and some of them had no recall or training. FYI if your dog is spooked by other dogs approaching it. Great for cyclists and apparently lots of dirt bikes! Most of them were pretty awesome making themselves heard and sharing the trail so we could move over. The trail conditions are good but some parts are very rocky. Wouldn't recommend basic walking shoes or sandals, definitely trail shoes or trail runners. Bathrooms in the parking lot are available even off season but they don't seem to be maintained as often. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

Folsom Lake offers some of the best paddling experiences imaginable along its 75 miles of shoreline. Visitors will discover sandy beaches, secluded coves, and crystal-clear waters that reveal the lake's scenic depths. Nestled at the base of the Sierra foothills along the American River, Folsom Lake is surrounded by panoramic views of rolling hills that burst with wildflowers in early spring. I can get busy here, especially on summer weekends. https://www.paddlingcalifornia.com/Folsom_Lakes.html read more

Love adventuring with our four legged friends. So many trails, beautiful views, and plenty of space. Check it out for yourself. You don't be sorry. read more

Got there early and got our usual spot. This day was the best as it was not crowded at all and our dog was able to go swimming and not distracted by other people or pets. Beautiful weather and loved seeing state parks patrolling the area to keep away the riff raff. read more

No shade not a pleasant Park to take your family mud crowded dirty please don't go there

NAHHH BRO W PLACE!! I CAUGHT MY FIRST KEEPER HERE... man caught my personal best of 16inches. large mouth bass. absolutely great place to fish bro. and the water is hella clean too compared to sac river dirty as hell. but man we caught fish, went boating, swimming, and all that. nah bro but the fish here are so fire n there r a huge variety. my cousin even got a catfish bro. and the guy in the lil service area before we docked the boat even said that the water a lil low but we still caught shi bro. oh yeah i gotta mention, the dude at the service area looked hella faded lmao. dude was literally in another dimension. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

The cleanest beachfront of Folsom Lake. The sand is soft. Plenty of space. There is goose poop all over near the water but other than that it's great. read more

Great location. Beautiful and great hiking. State park rangers extremely helpful. Highly recommend.

Nice area for picnic and boat dock We went hiking a little bit to see the blue pine the front gate attendant was friendly

I have walked there several days a week for the past couple of years, mostly at the Granite Bay entrance. It's been wonderful until they recently opened up the road leading to Oak Beach and beyond after dike construction completion. And now people are driving (mostly) pick up trucks across the sand and down to the waters edge. . It really rips up the beach, ruins the peaceful experience of walking and some people drive recklessly like doing spins and driving too fast. Why on allow vehicles to drive across the sand. Doesn't make sense to me. read more

Went here in the evening to grab a picnic table and watch the sunset over the lake. Overall a peaceful place w/ plenty of parking and space to spread out. Can definitely see that much of the lake perimeter is exposed, so during the hot weather you won't have too much protection from the sun/elements. Location is near enough to other resources if you'd like to get some food at the supermarket/local pizzeria and have it at the lake. Can imagine that during the busier times of day there are many options for watersports and activities. Not a lot of hiking trails or areas to walk - we drove around a bit to check out all of the amenities, and it's definitely a place to relax and hang out by the water rather than go for a scenic hike/walk. Recommended. read more

There's so much to like about Folsom Lake right now. The water capacity is sitting at 113% as of 3 days ago, which is the fullest I've ever seen the lake. It was great for floating and chilling in the water with friends. I have many fond memories of Folsom Lake at all levels. The lupine super bloom of 2021 at Beeks Bight, the ever popular Beal's Point, hiking to Avery's Pond and Oregon Bar and accessing the lake area behind William Cavitt Jr. High (accessible before and after school hours). The snowmelt coming down from the mountains paired with the heat makes this one of the best spots to beat the heat in Sac. Just make sure you visit before August before the water gets murky if you're planning on getting into the water during your visit. And watch out for rattlesnakes! read more

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Entered at the southern part of the lake area. Have heard of this recreation area and have always been curious of it . But turned out that it's not my cup of tea. $12 for parking . Theres an expansive section where there's no shade at all, completely exposed for walking, and it's a fairly long route even for someone who can put on the speed like myself. There are many elevations to this place, and it was a busy weekend. Hike trails are here but the few that I came across, werent all that spectacular. This area is more for people who greatly enjoy the water or the simple outdoors, rather than folks who want more targeted approaches to fitness & leisure time. read more

Folsom Lake SRS encompasses quite a few locations across Folsom lake that covers a lot of activities such as hiking, camping, boating and swimming. My experience has primarily been around the campsites at Beals point and Peninsula campground. Located near a major metropolitan area, the level of access to civilization does vary depending on location. Camping at Beals point, you are pretty close to civilization with easy and quick access to stores. Raleys and Dutch bros are five minutes away and so you are really close to all those types of amenities and the related noise. On the other hand Peninsula campground is quite the opposite. A treacherous drive and quite a long distance from the closest store. Both of the sites have their positives and it really depends on how separated from civilization you want to be. Both of access to good beaches but it seems like peninsula is usually less busy but I've only really visited it during off season. Another thing to keep in mind is that the lake level plays a major role in the activities available and how close you might find yourself to the beach. Drought and the collection of driftwood really changes the environment. Regardless I really love visiting Folsom lake and camping out here really gives a different experience from the other types of camping ive done. read more

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The road to Beeks Bight and Doton Point, fenced and closed due to construction, is safety hazard! And there's no word on when it will reopen. Further, chain link fences prevent hikers from accessing the road in many places, causing a lot of confusion and backtracking to get to and from parking areas. This is not only poor planning, but a safety hazard. If there is an emergency back in that area, a biking accident, someone bitten by a rattlesnake, anyone with a cardio event, there's no way for them to negotiate this maze. Not only that, but if there is a fire, there is no clear escape route. Fences to provide security for construction should not overrode public safety! You're leaving the state open to lawsuits. read more

I had a chance to hang out with a buddy and we decided to hang out here for a couple hours as he had a yearly pass. We parked and took a long walk in as he wanted to find deeper water to do some fishing. Well, due to the rains it was shallow in most areas. He gave up after not finding water that was deep enough. We did bring some food we bought and enjoyed it with the beautiful views. I believe a daily pass is $12 which is a bit hefty if you visit often. It was very sparse and just a handful of people there on a Tuesday afternoon. This was a nice lake and area to walk, hike and if the lake was higher, do some swimming, boating or other watersports. read more

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It's hard to beat a nice Lake when you gotta get outdoors! Ok, maybe a pristine beach but that's a few hours away. Purposely went to the Lake in Jan as I wanted to see how the water rose after the 3 storms that came through. It was definitely worth the trip! So nice seeing the snow on the mountains behind the Lake! Got sum sun in & even took the shoes off to ground barefoot while enjoying the solitude during the midweek. Looking forward to coming back & trying out the nice bike trails around the Lake! Or may even just pack a lunch or BBQ w/ the wifey now that we have a CA State Parks annual pass (www.parks.ca.gov) BTW, the annual pass provides admission to all kinds of State Parks & plenty of State Beaches statewide! Time to get out & take some road trips to check these places out! read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - "After the Storm comes a Calm" - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

Good vibes. Nice roomy Lake for everyone. Good place to just relax on your kayak or sup board and let the current float you down the river. Or just have a picnic next to the river. I cant wait to come back. read more

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Best place for beers and and sando. Girls are so friendly. This place is the best. Nachos are amazing!

Beautiful views with plenty of sand and sun (some rocky areas too), and a huge lawn area for picnics and cookouts at Beal's Point. We came in early spring and got to enjoy the lake at full capacity. Everything is really well maintained, other than the bathrooms that need a little love and some hand soap. But frankly, they aren't as bad as other state parks.. Regardless, family had a great time without all the sand that inevitably gets on E V E R Y T H I N G when you're at the beach Parking is $12 so it's a fun and cheap way to get outdoors and enjoy the lovely California sun (: read more

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When entering the check in the directions were misleading and the lady at the desk almost broke her back trying to give us a dirty look. The lifeguards made up for this experience with their due diligence and rockin bods. Two girls in my group were holding onto the buoy and he came and protected the waters. 10/10. ‍ read more

This is my 3rd year buying my state park pass. Indeed I have used it at other parks, but folsom is not only closest but easiest, cleanest, and the park rangers are great a getting the job done! Thank you folsom and state of California for such a great family fun place to go! read more

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Yesterday I finally got to experience, The Folsom Lake experience on my friend's boat. In the almost 2 years of living in Sac, I've only heard of how nice Folsom Lake is and finally I can check it off my Sac Bucket List of experiences. Woo-hoo! Thank goodness we got some good rain this past winter because the last time I was here it was super dry. What a difference water makes! The lake is huge. It's great for wake boarding, tubing, paddle boarding and jet-skiing. There is also a great picnic area. Instead of driving over 2 hours, hit up Folsom Lake for some water sport fun! read more

I don't understand how they would let lake so out of control with debris! I was here 5/23 and the lake was just fine. The I come back on 6/1/24 to find lake so dirty and full of debris. It was so bad that you couldn't take out jet skis or boats. It will ruin your propeller. I don't how it will take to clean all this. I just paid $325 to buy season pass. How I regret this. read more

Peninsula campground. Site 35 and 58 are the closest to the water. Hosts were nice and since it wasn't busy let us have our choice of site. No fires right now but water was nice and dock and parking lot make it convenient for boaters or kayakers/paddleboarders. Lake really quiets down near dark as far as boaters and jet skiers. Nice view of the stars. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - Campsite and water - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

Folsom Lake is really quite high from all the rain we received this past season , and that means summer fun with water sports in the lake! Dogs are allowed in the lake and in rec area , but probably need should be on leash when on the beach. Things to know: 1) Beale point access is well marked , and easy to find off of Folsom Blvd. 2) parking is 12$ !! And forget about trying to park outside the the rec area because nothing but private fancy neighborhoods which do not allow street parking of any kind. Trust me we looked! So unless you want to hike more then a few miles just to get to the lake ... you're going to have to pay the 12$ or you can opt for the golden poppy parking pass which is 125$ for the year and you can park at most California state park areas! That's what we did . And yes they do accept credit cards at the little entrance. 3) direct access to the lake with small sandy beach area , not a huge beach. We saw lots of picnic tables bbq grills. We saw restrooms and also a ton of porti potties ( I think for anticipation of the holiday weekend) . We did not see a launching area for either motorized boats or even kayaks . We were there to kayak , and we had to park as close as poss from the paved lot and carry our kayak a little distance (took just 2 minutes ) to the water side . It's possible , but dang that kayak is heavy and it's so much more convenient when we can drive the car to the edge and unload. Not sure if we just missed the loading area or what . We Did see an area that was blocked to the lake due to wood debris, so maybe that's the normal area for launching. 4) Apparently, people even camp overnight here! They had a separate camping site which is cool if you're into such activities. 5)The lake itself is pretty large and calm. Perfect for swimming and floating along the shore and kayaking. Water was warm in late June , and clean but not as clear as the running American river or Lake Tahoe. I love that we have Folsom lake so close to home !! read more

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Great during the summer to enjoy a bbq, relax on the beach, go swimming, or paddleboard/kayak/float on inflatables on the water. There is an entrance fee to get in (I believe $10-12), and an additional fee if you take in a boat. We reserved a picnic table next to a BBQ grill very early in the morning (around 7:30-8:00AM). Many people bring beach tents and canopies here for shade to get set up in the sand. There are lifeguards on duty and also public restrooms available. There are also a nice amount of picnic tables under shade and BBQ grills available. But people also brought in their own portable grills too. Bathrooms are your typical public park/beach style. Meaning no hand soap, toilets and floors can be dirty. They do have toilet paper. They're individual bathroom rooms, not stalls. Bring hand soap, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, etc. Very long stretch of sandy beach to relax and set up your stuff, which I appreciated. Be aware of the cones near the lifeguard posts as you cannot set up your canopy or even lie down within the area of the cones. I wish we had known that because we were asked to move TWICE away from the area. This is so that the lifeguards can have a clear pathway in case there is an emergency. The lifeguard was very apologetic and nice to us when we had to change our position, and even helped us move our stuff, so I didn't stay annoyed too long. I understand he was doing his job and following the rules for safety. Otherwise, the water was warmer than I expected, and there is an area marked off in the water itself so jet skiis and boats know to stay away from where people are swimming near the shore, and vice versa. I'm very glad to live within a reasonable driving distance to this beach and plan to come here during the summers with friends and family to enjoy a summer day. read more

The lake was very nice. The weather was clear and perfect. My daughter had a great time playing in the water and she also made friends. There was plenty of space for parking, plenty of space on the grass, as well as plenty of space for tents on the beach it's self. If you are in the area and you want to have a nice day out on the lake I definitely suggest visiting here. read more

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area - Beals point lake - Lakes Near Me - Folsom, California

Always close the back side where you can drive down to the water on the weekends. When it should be open to allow more people in. Park rangers are always rude to everyone even at the gate. read more

More like Fail-som Lake State Recreation Area. No stars. Boring. So dead, yellow everywhere, and water was low. Paid $12 and the girl asked me to pay $2 extra, so I can get $10 back... lol she forgot my change -.- Lol... make sure you know how to do math when entering the gate. Jk. Idk why I came here in August lol!! read more

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Really nice lake. Came to visit Sunday 5/1/22 from 10AM-2PM. Parking fee was $12. Boating fees and more info at www.parks.ca.gov/parkpasses . Had a small BBQ, walked around and dipped in the water a little. Weather was about 80° and the water was pretty cold. Very windy and sand was whirling up a bit. There was a lot of people on jetskis and boating. There are a few spots with sand, few spots with rocks. Lots of different areas to set up and enjoy the day. There are a lot of dips and uneven roads, a lot of people were hitting their skid plates, bumpers, and everything else under their cars. Would highly recommend coming in a big truck or suv to avoid messing up your car. Didn't see any BBQ pits or water spouts. They have loaner life jackets for kids near the bathroom facility (2 large private stalls. Porter potty type of toilet though). read more

I've been coming out here routinely for a year or two now. Before that I'd been looking for a good place to get out to and to be able to run some trails but varying terrain (hills, sand, steep slopes). So what better area to do all that at, then by the lake? From the 1st time I came out here I knew I'd found my spot, if I wasn't able to or didn't want to drive the extra 20 minutes in the opposite direction to run in Auburn at the Forrest Hill Bridge area. For cyclists, horseback riders, and the general patrons, there's a paved path for the 1st portion of route around the lake. With an off beaten path to the side of it, which is where I like running. At one spot there's a really steep hill that I like running up in full stride to work on my sprinting and cardio. The rest of the trail is dirt and small hills sporadically with houses to the left and the lake to the right. The main trail around the lake goes a good ways, and depending what route you take. You can get in a good 7 mile round trip run/walk. If not of that is for you, you can also just go down to the lake and have some fun in the water. Or stay over night and you can do some camping in the nearby areas. With the recent drought the water levels have been pretty low for sometime, and I don't think they allow boats in there right now. I'd gone running a few months ago after we had that really good rain, and the water levels were really good. So there were a lot more people out there, and they were able to bring out there boats. But with going out there this past weekend, I saw that levels were super low again. So it's back to now boats in the water again probably. Also when you first enter there's a large parking area, which isn't packed. And there's also an rest area to change and use the bathroom. read more

What a flippin' good time. Boats, jet skis, floats, swimmers, fishers, BBQ'ers... everything is welcome! White, black, middle eastern, Russian, Hispanic... everyone is there! Very chill yet cosmopolitan yet Sacramento-ish. $12 for parking. Open till 10pm. Bring the biggest fucking float you can find. Hot as helllllllllllllllll. 20-30 degrees warmer than the Bay at all times... 10-15 hotter than Napa. So fun... and clean. And cool. Blessed! read more

CAMPSITE We camped at the Rattlesnake Bar area in the Peninsula Campground. There is a bench, a fire area, and a wood cabinet to store food. The campsite is pretty small; only two small tents can really fit. There is not a lot of shade in the area, so it's best to bring a canopy with you as temperature are in the high 80s and 90s. PARKING The first car is free, but you have to pay for the second car. It is $12 for the second car. There are only two parking spots per campground. BATHROOMS There are flushable toilets on the campsite. The toilet paper is well stocked. There is a sink with a mirror in the bathroom, but the sink is probably the dirtiest part in the bathroom. There are water spigots outside as well. Near the lake, there are porta potties. Showers are available at this campsite as well for a small price (bring quarters). If you need it, there is an electric outlet in the bathrooms for your electronic equipment. WOOD If you need wood, you can purchase it at the ranger station. Alternatively, some of the rangers drive wood in a golf cart around to sell, so keep a lookout for them. HIKING There are multiple trails in the area that allow you to hike around the lake. You don't hike right alongside the lake the entire time, but you will catch glimpses of the lake from time to time. The Oaks Nature Trail is an easy hike, a little less than a mile. At the end of this trail, there are picnic benches to site at and eat. If you want to do a longer hike, opposite of the Oak Nature Trail is the Old Road Trail. You can then go towards the pump house or do the Peninsula Loop. Grab a map when you come into the state park. WATER/SWIMMING Lake Folsom has diminished over the years, but it is still a big lake. You can go kayaking, tubing, jet-skiing, and more on the lake. There is absolutely no shade in the beach area, so bring an umbrella or canopy to avoid direct sunlight. The beach area is mostly mud and rocks, no nice sand area. The water is pretty muddy, so there is not a lot of visibility. WILDLIFE There is an abundance of birds at Folsom Lake from woodpeckers to bluejays. I woke up to the sounds of chirping birds. There are many lizards as well due to the hot temperature in this area. On our hike, we saw some deer in the area, but they galloped away as we approached. Overall, this is a nice weekend trip, but not the best state park I've been to. The campsite is very small and the trails are not very scenic. The lake is probably the main attraction. read more

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